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[[File:Sword of Stalingrad.jpg|400px|thumb|Stalin presented with the Sword of Stalingrad by Winston Churchill and Franklin D. Roosevelt during a ceremony at the [[Teheran Conference]]. The sword was specially forged and bejeweled by command of [[King George VI]].<ref>https://russianswords.com/the-sword-of-stalingrad/</ref>]]  

[[File:Sword of Stalingrad.jpg|400px|thumb|Stalin presented with the Sword of Stalingrad by Winston Churchill and Franklin D. Roosevelt during a ceremony at the [[Teheran Conference]]. The sword was specially forged and bejeweled by command of [[King George VI]].<ref>https://russianswords.com/the-sword-of-stalingrad/</ref>]]  

It seems that Stalin anticipated this less than Hitler, who, in June 1941 invaded the Soviet Union with the largest land army ever assembled. It consisted of 170 divisions, or 3.5 million troops. Stalin was caught off guard, and the Nazis [[History_of_Ukraine#Nazi_colloboration:_1941-1945|blazed a path through the Ukraine]] picking up many [[Banderite]] collaborators. Reaching [[Moscow]] in European Russia in October 1941, the Nazis threatened Stalin and the entire Soviet Union with defeat. In only 6 months, the Nazis controlled one-third of the Soviet economy, a total of 5% of the Earth's surface. Hitler's troops were defeated at Moscow during the winter of 1941-42 after Stalin appointed [[Georgy Zhukov]] as commander of the Red Army. A spy in the German embassy in Tokyo, [[Richard Sorge]], informed Stalin that Japan was not going to attack [[Siberia]], freeing thousands of winter ski troops to move to Moscow to defeat the Nazis. It was during this time that Stalin famously invoked the name of [[God]] and allowed religious services to be conducted after 20-plus years of repression. Also, 1500 factories were evacuated and restored in Siberia and 12-15 million workers were moved east of the [[Urals]], where Soviet production was higher than Germany's in 1942, despite Germany holding some 50% of Soviet industry.

It seems that Stalin anticipated this less than Hitler, who, in June 1941 invaded the Soviet Union with the largest land army ever assembled. It consisted of 170 divisions, or 3.5 million troops. Stalin was caught off guard, and the Nazis [[History_of_Ukraine#Nazi_colloboration:_1941-1945|blazed a path through the Ukraine]] picking up many [[Banderite]] collaborators. Reaching [[Moscow]] in European Russia in October 1941, the Nazis threatened Stalin and the entire Soviet Union with defeat. In only 6 months, the Nazis controlled one-third of the Soviet economy, a total of 5% of the Earth's surface. Hitler's troops were defeated at Moscow during the winter of 1941-42 after Stalin appointed [[Georgy Zhukov]] as commander of the Red Army. A spy in the German embassy in Tokyo, [[Richard Sorge]], informed Stalin that Japan was not going to attack [[Siberia]], freeing thousands of winter ski troops to move to Moscow to defeat the Nazis. It was during this time that Stalin famously invoked the name of [[God]] and allowed religious services to be conducted after 20-plus years of repression. Also, 1500 factories were evacuated and restored in Siberia and 12-15 million workers were moved east of the [[Urals]], where Soviet production was higher than Germany's in 1942, despite Germany holding some 50% of Soviet industry.

The Red Army went on the offensive after the defense of Moscow, but soon the Nazis gained the advantage and pushed to Stalingrad. More than one million troops fought on each side in urban combat. Hitler refused to allow surrender, and eventually the Nazis were encircled and routed.  

The Red Army went on the offensive after the defense of Moscow, but soon the Nazis gained the advantage and pushed to Stalingrad. More than one million troops fought on each side in urban combat. Hitler refused to allow surrender, and eventually the Nazis were encircled and routed.  

On September 4, 1943 Stalin invited the hierarchs of the Russian Orthodox Church to the [[Kremlin]] to discuss the need for reviving [[religious]] life in the [[USSR]] and the speedy election of a Patriarch.<ref>[https://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2009/08/miraculous-kazan-icon-taken-by-nazi-to.html Orthodox Christianity Then and Now], August 17, 2009. www.johnsanidopoulos.com</ref>  

The [[Nazi]]'s obsession with exterminating the Russian nation turned [[World War II]] into a [[Patriot]]ic one. So it was natural that in a bid to overpower the enemy the nation turned to its traditions and Russian history. The [[Orthodox Christian]] [[faith]] was the Russian main [[spiritual]] basis. Stalin realized this, so he sought assistance from the [[Church]] during that dangerous period of time in Russian history. 20,000 churches were opened during the war years. In spring 1942 the Soviet regime allowed [[Easter]] celebrations for the first time in many years. On September 4, 1943 Stalin invited the hierarchs of the Russian Orthodox Church to the [[Kremlin]] to discuss the need for reviving [[religious]] life in the [[USSR]] and the speedy election of a Patriarch.<ref>[https://www.johnsanidopoulos.com/2009/08/miraculous-kazan-icon-taken-by-nazi-to.html Orthodox Christianity Then and Now], August 17, 2009. www.johnsanidopoulos.com</ref>  

After turning the tide of war in the [[Battle of Stalingrad]], the 1943 [[Kursk]] tank battle was decisive in pushing the Nazis from European Russia. In two years, the Red Army pushed the Nazis all the way back to [[Berlin]]. Stalin used his control of Eastern Europe to extract concessions from [[President Roosevelt]] at Allied conferences, including control over the region. [[Winston Churchill]] warned against this very control, for he greatly feared Soviet hegemony in Europe. Victorious, Stalin named himself Generalissimo and became more popular than ever in the Soviet Union and more dangerous than ever to the capitalist world.

After turning the tide of war in the [[Battle of Stalingrad]], the 1943 [[Kursk]] tank battle was decisive in pushing the Nazis from European Russia. In two years, the Red Army pushed the Nazis all the way back to [[Berlin]]. Stalin used his control of Eastern Europe to extract concessions from [[President Roosevelt]] at Allied conferences, including control over the region. [[Winston Churchill]] warned against this very control, for he greatly feared Soviet hegemony in Europe. Victorious, Stalin named himself Generalissimo and became more popular than ever in the Soviet Union and more dangerous than ever to the capitalist world.